An inspiring mountain haven with a funky soul

There’s something special about Asheville that the world is beginning to discover. This thriving mountain city features a funky and eclectic downtown, hundreds of studios and art galleries, a world-class culinary and craft beer culture, a thriving live music scene and, of course, the awe-inspiring scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This must-experience destination is conveniently located a few hours by car from international flight hubs in Charlotte and Atlanta.

Ancient Mountains, Fresh Adventure

This is the ultimate playground with diverse outdoor adventures. Asheville serves as a base camp for exploration with more than 324,000 hectares of pristine wilderness, mountain ecosystems and nearby waterfalls in addition to zip lines, whitewater rafting, outstanding hiking and mountain biking, and a colorful fall foliage display. The Blue Ridge Parkway – the USA's most visited scenic highway – runs right through Asheville.

It’s an area steeped in history, from Cherokee legends to the grand splendor of the 250-room Biltmore House, the USA’s largest home, and the historic Omni Grove Park Inn, to uniquely Appalachian traditions in music and craft evolving from the first Scottish and Irish settlers.

Destination: Inspiration

Asheville is the kind of special place that lingers sweetly in your mind and memories for years to come. The city’s architectural legacy with its mix of art deco, beaux arts and neoclassical styles is the perfect retro-urban backdrop to the edgy energy that emanates from locally owned shops and art galleries, distinctive restaurants and exciting entertainment venues. Known as an art colony, a healing resort and a home to notable luminaries, statesmen and bohemians, Asheville is a welcoming, vibrant city.

Gastro-Holiday: Eclectic Southern and Artisan Inspired

Asheville is a city where food is the centerpiece of daily life at 15 farmers markets, more than 250 independent restaurants, and a plethora of local breweries. With more than 20 craft breweries and known as Beer City USA, Asheville is in the Top 3 in the nation for having the most micro-breweries per capita. Biltmore is home to the USA's most-visited winery. The chefs cook with farm-fresh ingredients as a cardinal rule, and they do it well. Discover the flavors of Appalachian mountain and Southern heritage with heirloom tomatoes, wild onions, artisan cheese, spicy apple butter, and mountain trout caviar.

Folk Meets Funk

A bastion of cutting-edge art and technology in the Blue Ridge, the city also prides itself on its fascinating Appalachian past and celebrates this culture with annual events such as Shindig on the Green and the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. Creativity and inventiveness soar during Moogfest, a festival dedicated to technology, art and music. The nearby River Arts District features more than 150 artists, from glass blowers to potters and painters, further cementing Asheville’s legacy as a top arts destination.

Fodors.com named Asheville one of the “Places We’re Going,” and TripAdvisor.com named Asheville a winner of the Traveler’s Choice Awards for top food and wine destinations in the USA. And that’s just the beginning.

Fun Fact

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They take fun seriously: The unofficial mascot of Asheville is the hula hoop.